(Little) Walking Man
One of my favorite songs is "Walking Man" by James Taylor. Once, I sat alone in my old house in Chagrin Falls back in 1998, wearing my new sport coat, getting ready to do a reading from my first novel, THE YEAR THAT TREMBLED. To prepare for my autumnal debut as a reader, I listened to that song, as well as "Harvest Moon" by Neil Diamond. It was September 28, and the weather was fall-perfect. Then I walked down to The Fireside Bookstore where, they told me, they had a record crowd to hear me. I read... too long, put a few folks to sleep... but what the heck did I know? Only that I was, at last, a published author.
Still, I was alone. Then, many years later, I met Lydia. And then came Finn. And now I sing songs, by James Taylor, and Paul McCartney, and the Great American Songbook, and lullabies, to Finn, at bedtime. I've never enjoyed singing so much. Nor had a better audience than my little b0y, his head on my shoulder, listening, not falling asleep until I lay him down, and patient and as bright as a harvest moon.
Well, now our little man Finn is walking. Does he love it. He explores, he examines, he explains (sometimes I even sort of understand him), and he moves like a shortstop in pursuit of a line drive that's heading to left-center field. And that posture! I'm (re) learning from him. I'm standing up straighter and working on my own range of movement. Have to... it's almost time to throw the ball around outside.
And to walk. No longer alone. Read More
Still, I was alone. Then, many years later, I met Lydia. And then came Finn. And now I sing songs, by James Taylor, and Paul McCartney, and the Great American Songbook, and lullabies, to Finn, at bedtime. I've never enjoyed singing so much. Nor had a better audience than my little b0y, his head on my shoulder, listening, not falling asleep until I lay him down, and patient and as bright as a harvest moon.
Well, now our little man Finn is walking. Does he love it. He explores, he examines, he explains (sometimes I even sort of understand him), and he moves like a shortstop in pursuit of a line drive that's heading to left-center field. And that posture! I'm (re) learning from him. I'm standing up straighter and working on my own range of movement. Have to... it's almost time to throw the ball around outside.
And to walk. No longer alone. Read More
